Dumbo's Circus

Dumbo's Circus
Starring	Patty Maloney Mark Sawyer Van Snowden Joe Giamalava Sharon Baird Norman Merrill, Jr. Caleb Chung Ron Mangham
Voices of	Katie Leigh Walker Edmiston Patricia Parris Jim Cummings Will Ryan Hal Smith Ron Gans
Country of origin	United States
No. of episodes	120
Production
Running time	30 minutes
Release
Original network	The Disney Channel
Audio format	Stereo
Original release	May 6, 1985 – 1989

Dumbo's Circus is a live action/puppet television series that aired on The Disney Channel beginning on May 6, 1985,^[1] and featured the character of Dumbo from the original film. The series was in production for three and a half seasons,^[2] and reruns continued to air until February 28, 1997.^[3]

The cast members are human-sized anthropomorphic animals played by people in puppet suits using technology developed by Ken Forsse, the creator of Teddy Ruxpin. The same production technique was used for Welcome to Pooh Corner. Unlike Welcome to Pooh Corner, the show has never had any VHS, DVD or Blu-ray releases.

Many of the show's cast went on to star in the Christian radio series, Adventures in Odyssey.

Background

In the show, Dumbo has grown up, is able to speak, and has struck out on his own to begin his own circus. He and a cast of characters fly from town to town, in a wagon pulled through the air by Dumbo, performing their "greatest little show on earth". Other than Dumbo, none of the characters from the original film appeared in the show. Each character would perform a particular talent, which ranged from dancing and singing to telling knock knock jokes.

Characters

• Dumbo (voiced by Katie Leigh): Also known as the "World's Only Flying Elephant". Star of the circus, Dumbo still relies on his magic feather to help him fly. He can usually be seen pulling the Circus wagon from place to place up in the sky. Often talks to the camera (breaking the fourth wall) towards the boys and girls watching the show, telling them when it's time for a song or for the sideshow. Being an elephant, Dumbo's memory is usually very good (based on the expression "An elephant never forgets."), his hearing is very sharp and sometimes his sneezes are often strong - strong enough to cause some wind.
• Lionel (voiced by Jim Cummings): A Brooklyn accented lion who serves as Dumbo's right-hand partner, popcorn server, ticket taker and sideshow barker. Has a knot in his tail. Lionel was inspired by the character of Timothy Q. Mouse from the 1941 film and says goodbye to the viewers at the end of every episode. Lionel's voice is almost similar to Mickey Mouse.
• Fair Dinkum (voiced by Hal Smith): Also known as "Dink" for short, he is a koala who serves as ringmaster of the circus. As he is from Australia, he has the accent they have as well. There are a few things that Dink is afraid of - heights (so he's scared of flying) and drowning in the water being a few of them. His name comes from the Australian phrase, "fair dinkum".
• Barnaby Bowser (voiced by Will Ryan): A goofy dog who is the circus clown/magician as "Barnaby the Great". Known for saying "Ah-hee-ee-ee-ee-ee" whenever he laughs, and sounds like he's from the south. His magic tricks don't always work out the way he wants them to. Good friends with Lionel and Q.T. He also gets scared easily. Often hums his signature song "I'm Just a Lucky Dog". Comes from a big family - Edison Bowser (who invented flea powder), Isadoga Bowser (a famous dancer who perfected the "Dog trot"), Julia Bowser (Barnaby's favorite as she invented the hot dog) and his famous Uncle Lattimer Bowser, III. Barnaby shares a trait with Rabbit from Welcome to Pooh Corner (also voiced by Will Ryan) - both are gifted magicians. The only difference being that Rabbit's tricks usually work well, whereas Barnaby's doesn't always work the way he wants them to.
• Lilli (voiced by Patricia Parris): The only female character before Matilda appeared, Lilli is a beautiful cat who serves as a tightrope artist in the circus. Sometimes wears glasses because of her bad eyesight - mostly to see things that are very close like books, signs and to play checkers. Likes pretty things.
• Q.T.: A slow-witted, but good-natured orangutan who is the resident strongman and calliope player (in earlier episodes he was accompanied by a small pink creature while playing the calliope). He makes friends easily, and has other talents, like kite making. Sometimes doesn't know his own strength.
• Sebastian: A purple alley cat who is usually reduced to janitorial duties and likes to nap any chance he gets. Sometimes tricks others (usually Q.T.) to do his own work, but sometimes his tricks backfire on him. In the side show, Sebastian has a ventriloquist dummy with him called Sly.

Other characters

• Flip & Flap: A duo who are usually seen during the side show, telling each other jokes. They are identifiable by their appearances - Flip has long rabbit ears, and Flap has a red afro and a pig-like nose.
• Rinkum Dinkum: A later addition to the series, Rinkum is Fair Dinkum's older brother. In contrast to Fair Dinkum, Rinkum is much more brave and doesn't scare easily. Like his brother, Rinkum speaks in an Australian accent. During the Side Show, Rinkum puts on a show in which the audience has to guess what country he once visited and is pretending to be from.
• Matilda Dinkum: Another later addition to the series, Matilda is Rinkum and Fair Dinkum's younger sister and loves to dance. Also known as "Matty". Like her brothers, she speaks with an Australian accent. Her name comes from the famous Australian song "Waltzing Matilda".
• Lattimer Bowser, III (voiced by Laurie Main): Barnaby's uncle who is a famous explorer. He looks like Barnaby, but is much older, with a moustache (which he occasionally brushes with his hands), and wears a monocle and a pith helmet. Speaks with an English accent.
• Fira (voiced by Jim Cummings): Lilli's aunt, who speaks with an upper class accent. Looks like Lilli, but whereas Lilli only wears glasses for reading, she wears glasses all the time. Finds Sebastian to be sneaky, even if he is a cat.
• Mrs. Jumbo: Dumbo's mother, whom he sometimes talk about.

Voices

• Katie Leigh - Dumbo the Flying Elephant
• Walker Edmiston - Sebastian the Alley Cat
• Patricia Parris - Lilli the Cat
• Jim Cummings - Lionel the Lion, Aunt Fira
• Will Ryan - Barnaby Bowser the Goofy Dog
• Hal Smith - Fair Dinkum and Rinkum Dinkum the Koala Bear brothers
• Ron Gans - Q.T. the Orangutan
• Laurie Main - Uncle Lattimer Bowser, III
• Mona Marshall - Matilda Dinkum
• Phil Baron - Misc. others

Songs

• "Dumbo's Circus" (Opening theme song)
• "The Popcorn Song"
• "Our Big Animal Fair"
• "Puttin' On A Show"
• "When the Circus Comes to Town"
• "The Marching Band Parade" (Dumbo, Lionel, Barnaby and the Chorus)
• "Clowning Around" (Chorus)
• "I'm Just a Lucky Dog" (Barnaby)
• "I'm an Elephant Song"
• "The Rainbow Song"
• "Laugh With Me!"
• "Boom, Boom, Ain't It Great to Be Crazy?"
• "Brushing My Teeth"
• "The Squirrel on the Flying Trapeze"
• "Yankee Doodle"
• "The Exercise Song"
• "Me and My Teddy"
• "When the Circus Comes to Town (Reprise)" (Fair Dinkum) (Some episodes plays it during the closing credits instead of "Gotta Fly")
• "I Love the Circus" (Chorus) (Some episodes plays it during the closing credits instead of "Gotta Fly")
• "Hand Clappin'" (Barnaby and Lionel)
• "March to the Music" (Lionel)
• "Dumbo's Up in the Air" (Chorus)
• "A Genuine Clown" (Barnaby)
• "Gotta Fly" (Regular Closing theme song)

Side-show acts

• Sebastian and Sly
• Flip and Flap
  • Flip and Flap at the Restaurant
• Dumbo is the one who gets shot out his cannonball
• Scooter McNutty's Nursery Rhymes
• Barnaby's Magic Show
• Q.T.'s Knock-Knock Jokes
• Lilli's Tongue Twisters
• Rinkum Dinkum's Make-Believe
• Lilli's Mystery

Episodes

1. Who's Got the Feather?
2. The Long Walk
3. All 'Bout Hats
4. Never Trust a Stranger
5. Teaching a Bird to Fly
6. Farmer's Circus
7. Lilli's Surprise Birthday
8. Finding the Perfect Gift
9. Blue Glass Contest
10. Lilli Come's Home
11. The Annual Summer Parade
12. Welcome to Melody Land
13. A Lion Needs a Mane
14. She's Really Something Special
15. Tiny Town
16. Yippi-ki-bow-wow
17. Sandwich Hero
18. Elephant
19. Bye Bye Birdie
20. Lilli's Hat Dance
21. A Taste of Medicine
22. Scratch, Scratch
23. One Size Fits All
24. Ragweed Rag
25. A Present for Lionel
26. All in a Day's Play
27. A Better Bet
28. The Perfect Peanut
29. Lionel Goes to Town
30. Strongman Contest
31. Tricky Sebastian
32. 40 Winks for Dinks
33. Home Sweet Home
34. Hide and Seek
35. Ear Trouble
36. Horsin' Around
37. Barnaby Takes a Hike
38. Quartet for Five
39. The Big Switch
40. Nine Lucks of Sebastion
41. Barnaby's Magic Coat
42. Dear Diary
43. Sports Town
44. Bluegrass
45. Dumbolina
46. Rinkum's Return
47. Concertina for Two
48. Invisible Box
49. Barnaby Cries Uncle
50. Uncle Lattimer says "Merci"
51. Sebastian's Little Helper
52. Ring Around the Circus
53. Dink's Double
54. Masquerade
55. Perfect Weather
56. The Magical Musical Machine
57. If I Ran the Circus
58. Calliope Calamity
59. Friends Time Three
60. Lionel's Bubble Machine
61. Quiet Please
62. Sticky Fingers
63. Sebastian's Treasure
64. The Race
65. Meet Me at the Fair
66. Over the Rainbow
67. Eyeglasses
68. Whoops-a-daisy
69. Everybody's Doing It
70. Dink's New Job
71. A Day at the Circus
72. Luckville
73. Budgadumbo
74. Circus Sweeties
75. The Odd Couple
76. Magic B-day Cake
77. Lionel's Weather Machine
78. A Very Special Place
79. The Treasure
80. Christmas at the Circus
81. Here's Matty
82. Lionel's Singing Lesson
83. The Five Wishes
84. All Abroad
85. Birthday, Birthday
86. Helo's Dink
87. Circus Trainer
88. Help Wanted
89. Dancing Matilda
90. Everyone Should Have a Song
91. Clowning Around
92. My Fair Everybody
93. Stormy Night
94. Catchy Tune
95. Matty's Beautiful Doll
96. Tell Me a Story
97. Adventures Through Reading
98. Goldie
99. Matty's Magical Mystery Tour
100. Music, Maestro Please
101. The Gang's All Here
102. Adventure, Adventure
103. Think of All the Times
104. Mount Frosty
105. Snookey & the Coodies
106. Kite Day

Trivia

• The costumes and the wagon used in the show were both on display in the walk-in prop warehouse of the Studio Backlot Tour at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.
• When the series first started, Sebastian is seen wearing only his hat, vest and short pants. After a few episodes, he is given a white T-shirt to go with it.
• Some of the puppets that were used for audience members in the circus were used for Mother Goose's Treasury.

References

1. The Disney Channel Magazine, May 1985: pp. 13, 17.
2. "Biography". Jagcoproductions.com. Retrieved 2014-01-17.
3. TV Guide - February 22–28, 1997

External links

• Dumbo's Circus at the Internet Movie Database
• Dumbo's Circus at TV.com